Breath of Life
by lionheartedbookworm
Summary: She had once been thriving. There had been color in her cheeks. She had laughed and grinned and her eyes had been so bright. So bright. And then the poor girl had to follow after him, had to have a taste of adventure. Now she was gone. And it was his fault. Sleeping Hook.


"Rora?" His voice echoes in the ruins of the grand hall. He told her not to come here, told her to stay the hell away from the witch. He would take care of it. He would protect her.

But of course, his stubborn little princess had made a rather sacrificial choice instead.

"Sweetheart, please come out." His fingers twitch at his side. "Let's go home."

The silence is deafening. There's no sign of life. The air is much too still and thin. His princess couldn't possibly be here and still be alive.

Nothing could grow here. Nothing could live. She made things grow, made springtime appear wherever she went. She was a breath of life.

And with him, death followed wherever he went. The darkness in his soul destroyed everything in his path. Except for her.

Which is why he had pushed her away at first. Having a weakness was dangerous. He wouldn't let himself get attached to the little princess in a sparkling lilac dress. He wouldn't let himself feel again.

But damn her, she made the cold lump in his chest beat again. She made him grow.

He was selfish, a bitter, bad man.

But she made him soft. She made him want to live again.

Which is exactly why he had never wanted this to happen. Pirates didn't fall in love with princesses. Not princesses who seemed to shine like the sun. She had deserved so much more than him. Such a light couldn't belong to his darkness. He hadn't wanted her. He'd pushed her away. But she had pushed right back. She broke down his barriers and saw the man he had once been. She had seen something in his hateful spirit to hold onto hope for. She loved him purely.

Which is why she snuck away and sacrificed herself for him. His life had been at stake. The dragon queen had returned.

And now, she took his punishment upon herself.

He could have left, could have run away and let her take this sacrifice for him.

But that was what a coward would do. And he was not a coward.

He feels cold as he slips through the empty castle. His boot scuffs a turned over gargoyle. The sound of rubble cracking off the stone demon makes him jump.

He is not at ease here. The silence doesn't fool him. He knows he's being watched.

"Rora...please, sweetheart...just answer me." His voice bounces off each stone around him.

"You shouldn't be here." A low voice whispers.

He expects the dry voice to be that of the dragon queen's. It's cold, and dry in tone. But the hint of sweetness and innocence is there.

"Rora?" He whispers, blue eyes flickering around quickly.

His princess appears from a shadowy corner. Her bluebell eyes were glazed, and dead. She isn't focusing on him as she stares at him. Her gown is ripped and loose around her small body. Amber strands that once held lovely curls and braids are now limp. Her diadem and little jewels are gone, having been torn away in the midst of the curse. She's shaking as she approaches him, and her lips quiver.

Eternal sleep, but forever awake and trapped in a waking nightmare.

This curse was meant for him. He was supposed to succumb to the darkness, to the nightmares. Not her. Not his sweet Aurora.

He wonders what she sees right now. Does she see him? Does she see the burning red room? Does she see ghosts of the past? He knows she's in pain. His princess is gone, and her shell is still and cold. But she could be screaming at him right now inside her mind and he wouldn't even know it. She's scared, she's alone. Her nightmares are all she sees. And this time, he can't wake her. He can't hold her fiercely against him and promise that it isn't real. There's pain inside of her that he can't mend. He can't heal her like she had healed him.

"Rora..." He croaks. "My Rora..." He reaches out and touches her pale cheek. She doesn't move, doesn't bat an eyelash. She's icy to the touch, and he can't help but cringe. "This was not your burden...it should have been me..."

"I can't save you..." His voice cracks. Without thinking, his arms encircle her limp form. She doesn't thrash about or scream. His princess is encased in porcelain. She's silent and still, her body icy. She had been so warm, always so soft in his arms. Her sweet, floral scent was replaced with the harsh scent of blood and smoke. He would always hold her so tightly, for fear of her flying away from him. He would drink in her sweet scent and soft, pliant body. He didn't deserve the happiness and warmth from such sunlight. But he had greedily taken it against his better judgement.

It was him that deserved this curse. Not her. "I love you, Rora. Please, please wake up." He whispers into her hair. Tears burn his blue eyes, but he's not weak enough to let them fall. He pulls back to cup her face, to force her eyes to look up into his.

Her dead eyes stare straight through him. His princess isn't there any longer.

She had once been thriving. There had been color in her cheeks. She had laughed and grinned and her eyes had been so bright. So bright. And then the poor girl had to follow after him, had to have a taste of adventure.

Now she was gone. And it was his fault.

He couldn't bring life back to her eyes. He couldn't help her. He was death. She had been life. She had been a bursting light of springtime and sunshine in the cold darkness of his life.

And now her light had been snuffed out.

His princess was gone.


End file.
